Driverless Cars IELTS Reading: Answers & Detailed Explanations

More than 90% of traffic accidents are caused by human error. This staggering figure is the primary driver behind the emergence of self-driving vehicle technology. The “Driverless Cars” passage in the IELTS Reading test takes us deep into this not-so-distant future, exploring both its benefits and its challenges. Let’s join ECE in a detailed analysis to see how you can conquer the related questions.

Driverless Cars IELTS Reading Passage Information

Driverless cars

A. The automotive sector is well used to adapting to automation in manufacturing. The implementation of robotic car manufacture from the 1970s onwards led to significant cost savings and improvements in the reliability and flexibility of vehicle mass production. A new challenge to vehicle production is now on the horizon and, again, it comes from automation. However, this time it is not to do with the manufacturing process, but with the vehicles themselves. Research projects on vehicle automation are not new. Vehicles with limited self-driving capabilities have been around for more than 50 years, resulting in significant contributions towards driver assistance systems. But since Google announced in 2010 that it had been trialling self-driving cars on the streets of California, progress in this field has quickly gathered pace.

B. There are many reasons why technology is advancing so fast. One frequently cited motive is safety; indeed, research at the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory has demonstrated that more than 90 percent of road collisions involve human error as a contributory factor, and it is the primary cause in the vast majority. Automation may help to reduce the incidence of this. Another aim is to free the time people spend driving for other purposes. If the vehicle can do some or all of the driving, it may be possible to be productive, to socialise or simply to relax while automation systems have responsibility for safe control of the vehicle. If the vehicle can do the driving, those who are challenged by existing mobility models — such as older or disabled travellers — may be able to enjoy significantly greater travel autonomy.

C. Beyond these direct benefits, we can consider the wider implications for transport and society, and how manufacturing processes might need to respond as a result. At present, the average car spends more than 90 percent of its life parked. Automation means that initiatives for car-sharing become much more viable, particularly in urban areas with significant travel demand. If a significant proportion of the population choose to use shared automated vehicles, mobility demand can be met by far fewer vehicles.

D. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology investigated automated mobility in Singapore, finding that fewer than 30 percent of the vehicles currently used would be required if fully automated car sharing could be implemented. If this is the case, it might mean that we need to manufacture far fewer vehicles to meet demand. However, the number of trips being taken would probably increase, partly because empty vehicles would have to be moved from one customer to the next. Modelling work by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute suggests automated vehicles might reduce vehicle ownership by 43 percent, but that vehicles’ average annual mileage would double as a result. As a consequence, each vehicle would be used more intensively, and might need replacing sooner. This faster rate of turnover may mean that vehicle production will not necessarily decrease.

E. Automation may prompt other changes in vehicle manufacture. If we move to a model where consumers are tending not to own a single vehicle but to purchase access to a range of vehicles through a mobility provider, drivers will have the freedom to select one that best suits their needs for a particular journey, rather than making a compromise across all their requirements. Since, for most of the time, most of the seats in most cars are unoccupied, this may boost production of a smaller, more efficient range of vehicles that suit the needs of individuals. Specialised vehicles may then be available for exceptional journeys, such as going on a family camping trip or helping a son or daughter move to university.

F. There are a number of hurdles to overcome in delivering automated vehicles to our roads. These include the technical difficulties in ensuring that the vehicle works reliably in the infinite range of traffic, weather and road situations it might encounter; the regulatory challenges in understanding how liability and enforcement might change when drivers are no longer essential for vehicle operation; and the societal changes that may be required for communities to trust and accept automated vehicles as being a valuable part of the mobility landscape.

G. It’s clear that there are many challenges that need to be addressed but, through robust and targeted research, these can most probably be conquered within the next 10 years. Mobility will change in such potentially significant ways and in association with so many other technological developments, such as telepresence and virtual reality, that it is hard to make concrete predictions about the future. However, one thing is certain: change is coming, and the need to be flexible in response to this will be vital for those involved in manufacturing the vehicles that will deliver future mobility.

Questions 14 – 18 Reading Passage has seven paragraphs, A-G. Which paragraph contains the following information?

14. reference to the amount of time when a car is not in use
15. mention of several advantages of driverless vehicles for individual road-users
16. reference to the opportunity of choosing the most appropriate vehicle for each trip
17. an estimate of how long it will take to overcome a number of problems
18. a suggestion that the use of driverless cars may have no effect on the number of vehicles manufactured

Questions 19 – 22 Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

The impact of driverless cars Figures from the Transport Research Laboratory indicate that most motor accidents are partly due to 19……………….., so the introduction of driverless vehicles will result in greater safety. In addition to the direct benefits of automation, it may bring other advantages. For example, schemes for 20……………….. will be more workable, especially in towns and cities, resulting in fewer cars on the road. According to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, there could be a 43 percent drop in 21……………….. of cars. However, this would mean that the yearly 22……………….. of each car would, on average, be twice as high as it currently is. This would lead to a higher turnover of vehicles, and therefore no reduction in automotive manufacturing.

Questions 23 – 24 Choose TWO letters, A-E. Which TWO benefits of automated vehicles does the writer mention?

A. Car travellers could enjoy considerable cost savings.

B. It would be easier to find parking spaces in urban areas.

C. Travellers could spend journeys doing something other than driving.

D. People who find driving physically difficult could travel independently.

E. A reduction in the number of cars would mean a reduction in pollution.

Questions 25 – 26 Choose TWO letters, A-E. Which TWO challenges to automated vehicle development does the writer mention?

A. making sure the general public has confidence in automated vehicles

B. managing the pace of transition from conventional to automated vehicles

C. deciding how to compensate professional drivers who become redundant

D. setting up the infrastructure to make roads suitable for automated vehicles

E. getting automated vehicles to adapt to various different driving conditions

Summary of the passage

The “Driverless Cars” passage analyzes the development and potential impacts of self-driving technology.

• Context (A): Introduces the boom in self-driving technology, a new step in automation following the era of robotics in car manufacturing.
• Individual benefits (B): Highlights direct benefits for users, including increased safety (due to reduced human error), freeing up travel time for other activities, and providing greater travel autonomy for the elderly and disabled.
• Social impact (C, D): Analyzes broader implications. Self-driving cars make car-sharing models more viable, which could significantly reduce the number of vehicles needed. However, another study points out that while vehicle ownership may drop, the annual mileage per vehicle would double, meaning total vehicle production might not necessarily decrease.
• Changes in manufacturing (E): The industry may shift from selling cars to providing “mobility services,” allowing users to choose the right vehicle for each specific trip. This could boost the production of smaller, more efficient vehicles tailored to individual needs.
• Challenges (F): Lists the main hurdles to overcome, including technical issues (ensuring reliability in all conditions), legal issues (determining liability), and societal issues (building community trust).
• Outlook (G): The author is optimistic that these challenges can be addressed within the next 10 years and emphasizes that flexibility in adapting to change is vital for manufacturers.

Key vocabulary from the Driverless Cars IELTS Reading passage

1. On the horizon (idiom): Something that is about to happen or is in the near future.
   • Example: A new challenge to vehicle production is now on the horizon…
2. Contributory factor (noun phrase): A factor that helps to cause something.
   • Example: …more than 90 percent of road collisions involve human error as a contributory factor…
3. Autonomy (n): The right or condition of self-government; independence.
   • Example: …may be able to enjoy significantly greater travel autonomy.
4. Viable (adj): Capable of working successfully; feasible.
   • Example: …initiatives for car-sharing become much more viable…
5. Turnover (n): The rate at which something is replaced (in this context, vehicles).
   • Example: This faster rate of turnover may mean that vehicle production will not necessarily decrease.
6. Hurdles (n): Obstacles or difficulties to be overcome.
   • Example: There are a number of hurdles to overcome in delivering automated vehicles to our roads.
7. Useful structure: “There are a number of hurdles to overcome in…”
   • Example: There are a number of hurdles to overcome in delivering automated vehicles to our roads.
   • This is an excellent structure for introducing problems or challenges in an IELTS Writing Task 2 essay.

Answers & Detailed Explanations

Questions 14 – 18 (Matching Information)

14. Answer: C

Information: …the amount of time when a car is not in use.

Location & Explanation: Paragraph C, sentence 2: “At present, the average car spends more than 90 percent of its life parked.” “Parked” means “not in use.”

15. Answer: B

Information: …several advantages of driverless vehicles for individual road-users.

Location & Explanation: Paragraph B lists several benefits: reducing accidents (“reduce the incidence of this”), freeing up time (“free the time people spend driving”), and increasing travel autonomy for the elderly/disabled (“greater travel autonomy”).

16. Answer: E

Information: …the opportunity of choosing the most appropriate vehicle for each trip.

Location & Explanation: Paragraph E, sentence 2: “…drivers will have the freedom to select one that best suits their needs for a particular journey…”.

17. Answer: G

Information: …an estimate of how long it will take to overcome a number of problems.

Location & Explanation: Paragraph G, sentence 1: “…these can most probably be conquered within the next 10 years.” This is a clear estimate of time.

18. Answer: D

Information: …a suggestion that the use of driverless cars may have no effect on the number of vehicles manufactured.

Location & Explanation: Paragraph D, final sentence: “This faster rate of turnover may mean that vehicle production will not necessarily decrease.” This implies that production volume might not drop, meaning it is unaffected.

Questions 19 – 22 (Summary Completion)

19. Answer: human error
    • Location & Explanation: Paragraph B: “…more than 90 percent of road collisions involve human error as a contributory factor…”.
20. Answer: car-sharing
    • Location & Explanation: Paragraph C: “Automation means that initiatives for car-sharing become much more viable…”.
21. Answer: vehicle ownership
    • Location & Explanation: Paragraph D: “…automated vehicles might reduce vehicle ownership by 43 percent…”.
22. Answer: annual mileage
    • Location & Explanation: Paragraph D: “…but that vehicles’ average annual mileage would double as a result.”

Questions 23 – 24 (Multiple Choice – Benefits)

23 & 24. Answers: C and D

• C. Travellers could spend journeys doing something other than driving.

Location & Explanation: Paragraph B: “…free the time people spend driving for other purposes. It may be possible to be productive, to socialise or simply to relax…”.

• D. People who find driving physically difficult could travel independently.

Location & Explanation: Paragraph B: “…those who are challenged by existing mobility models — such as older or disabled travellers — may be able to enjoy significantly greater travel autonomy.”

Questions 25 – 26 (Multiple Choice – Challenges)

25 & 26. Answers: A and E

• A. making sure the general public has confidence in automated vehicles

Location & Explanation: Paragraph F: “…the societal changes that may be required for communities to trust and accept automated vehicles…”. “Trust and accept” is synonymous with “has confidence.”

• E. getting automated vehicles to adapt to various different driving conditions

Location & Explanation: Paragraph F: “…the technical difficulties in ensuring that the vehicle works reliably in the infinite range of traffic, weather and road situations it might encounter…”. “Various different driving conditions” is a paraphrase of “traffic, weather and road situations.”

The “Driverless Cars” passage is not just a test of technology, but a classic exercise in analytical thinking regarding future trends. By solving these questions, you have practiced how to evaluate the social, economic, and legal impacts of a major shift. This is exactly the type of thinking that IELTS frequently tests. Mastering this analytical method will help you be ready to face any modern topic in the exam room.

We invite you to refer to some other IELTS Reading practice tests compiled and summarized by ECE:

Radiocarbon dating ielts reading

Left or right ielts reading

The lost city ielts reading